Key points:

  • HPDs can contribute in several ways to earning points under LEED v4.1 MRc: Building Product Disclosure and Optimization: Material Ingredients, both for Options 1 and 2.
  • Manufacturers publishing HPDs using the HPD Builder have the option of performing an automated LEED Pre-Check. HPD users accessing HPDs in the HPD Public Repository can use the search filter there to find HPDs that have passed the LEED v4 Pre-Check for Material Ingredients Options 1, 2, or both.
  • What about LEED v4.1? HPDC is currently updating this LEED Pre-Check for LEED v4.1. In the meantime, here is HPDC's guidance for checking HPDs for LEED v4.1 compliance. This guidance has been reviewed by USGBC and other experts.


Start with a Complete, Published HPD

The most important requirement for all HPDs for all LEED compliance options is that the HPD is published in the HPD Public Repository, and complete. 


A technical definition of "Complete" is available on the HPDC website, but the quickest way to check that an HPD in question meets these requirements is to:

  • Find it in the HPD Public Repository (or, if you are a manufacturer, publish it there), AND
  • Check for compliance with the LEED v4 Pre-check, Option 1. (This performs an automated check for completeness.)

Once you have established that the HPD is published and complete, move on to check more specific requirements for each option.


Option 1. Material Ingredient Reporting (1 point)


NOTE: The only change here from LEED v4 is the 1.5x value for third-party verification. Therefore, you can use HPDC's LEED v4 Pre-check for Option 1 to find LEED v4.1 Option 1 compliant HPDs. Then, add a search filter in the HPD Public Repository to find verified HPDs offering the added value.


From the LEED credit language:

Use at least 20 different permanently installed products from at least five different manufacturers that use any of the following programs to demonstrate the chemical inventory of the product to at least 0.1% (1000 ppm). 

  • Health Product Declaration. The end-use product has a published and complete Health Product Declaration with full disclosure of known hazards in compliance with the Health Product Declaration open Standard. Any compliant reports above with third-party verification that includes the verification of content inventory are worth 1.5 products for credit achievement calculations.


In addition to being complete and published (see above), here's what to look for on an HPD. All items can be found on the first page of the HPD:

  • 100 ppm or 1,000 ppm reporting threshold

  • Material or Product level threshold

  • Characterized: “Yes”

  • Screened: “Yes” 

  • Identified: Any entry is valid

  • Indication of whether residuals and impurities were considered (any answer is valid)

  • Third-party verified HPDs are worth 1.5x. Look for this in the footer on page 1.


Option 2: Material Ingredient Optimization (1 point) – Material Ingredient Screening and Optimization Action Plan (value at 50% by cost or ½ product)


HPDs are a partial but not sufficient contributor to this option.


From the LEED credit language:


The manufacturer has screened the product to at least 1,000 ppm and has provided a publicly available inventory meeting the requirements of Option 1 and completed a detailed action plan to mitigate or reduce known hazards using the principles of green chemistry. 


Manufacturers may use HPDs to meet the requirement for a publicly available inventory, including the use of the Pharos Chemical and Material Library, which is accessed automatically via the HPD Builder, for screening and assessment. However, HPDC has not yet seen USGBC-published guidance on other specific requirements for this option. Thus, at this time, HPDC's guidance on this option is that an HPD is a recommended, but not sufficient, part of compliance with this option.


Option 2: Material Ingredient Optimization (1 point) – Advanced Inventory & Assessment (value at 100% by cost or 1 product)


From the LEED credit language:


Advanced Inventory & Assessment (value at 100% by cost or 1 product):

  • The end-use product meets the requirements of any of the following:

    • Manufacturer Inventory or Health Product Declaration: The product has demonstrated a chemical inventory to at least 0.01% by weight (100 ppm) with no GreenScreen LT-1 hazards or GHS Category 1 hazards. The HPD or Manufacturer Inventory must be third-party verified.

In addition to being complete and published (see above), here's what to look for on an HPD. All items can be found on the first page of the HPD:

  • 100 ppm threshold

  • Material or Product level threshold

  • Characterized: “Yes”

  • Screened: “Yes”

  • Identified: any entry is valid

  • Indication of whether residuals and impurities were considered (any answer is valid)

  • Third-party verified

  • In "Content In Descending Order of Quantity," the GreenScreen score LT-1 may not appear.

    • Any other GreenScreen score is allowed:  BM-1, BM-2, BM-3, BM-4, BM-U, LT-P1, LT-UNK, and NoGS.

HPDC has received the following FAQs on this option:

  • Does the HPD screen for GHS Category 1?
    • The LEED credit language requires screening for GreenScreen LT-1 OR GHS Category 1. The HPD meets this requirement by screening for LT-1 scores. It does not provide screening for GHS Category 1 hazards.
  • Is it really true that BM-1 scores are allowed, while LT-1 scores are not?
    • Yes, even though BM-1 scores arguably signal a higher level of concern than LT-1, they are allowed. This credit option is about advancing inventory and assessment by incentivizing the market to produce more GreenScreen Benchmark assessments.


Option 2: Material Ingredient Optimization (1 point) – Advanced Inventory & Assessment (value at 100% by cost or 1 product)


From the LEED credit language:

  • The end-use product meets the requirements of any of the following:

    • Manufacturer Inventory or HPD: The product has demonstrated a chemical inventory to at least 0.01% by weight (100 ppm) and at least 75% by weight of the product is assessed using GreenScreen Benchmark assessment. The remaining 25% by weight of product has been inventoried. The GreenScreen assessment must be publicly available. The HPD or Manufacturer Inventory must be third-party verified.


In addition to being complete and published (see above), here's what to look for on an HPD:

  • The following can be found on the first page of the HPD:

    • 100 ppm threshold

    • Material or Product level threshold

    • Characterized: “Yes”

    • Screened: “Yes”

    • Identified: any entry is valid

    • Indication of whether residuals and impurities were considered (any answer is valid)

    • Third-party verified

  • The following requires a more detailed review of the HPD Section 2: Content in Descending Order of Quantity: 

    • At least 75% by weight has a GreenScreen Benchmark score, i.e., BM-1, BM-2, BM-3, BM-4, BM-U

    • For the remaining 25% by weight, any GreenScreen score is acceptable, including BM-1, LT-1, LT-P1, LT-UNK, NoGS, or no score.

    • NOTE: When the HPD shows a % range for ingredients, the calculation here is based on minimum percentages.


Option 2: Material Ingredient Optimization (1 point) –  Material Ingredient Optimization (value at 150% by cost or 1.5 products)


From the LEED credit language:

  • The end-use product has demonstrated a product inventory and assessment of ingredients using any of the following programs:

    • Manufacturer Inventory or HPD: The product has demonstrated a chemical inventory to at least 0.01% by weight (100 ppm) and at least 95% by weight of the product is assessed using GreenScreen Benchmark assessment. No Benchmark 1 hazards (BM-1) are present in the end-use product. The remaining 5% by weight of product not assessed has been inventoried and screened using GreenScreen List Translator and no GreenScreen LT-1 hazards are present in the end-use product. The documents must be third-party verified.

In addition to being complete and published (see above), here's what to look for on an HPD:

  • The following can be found on the first page of the HPD:

    • 100 ppm threshold

    • Material or Product level threshold

    • Characterized: “Yes”

    • Screened: “Yes”

    • Identified: any entry is valid

    • Indication of whether residuals and impurities were considered (any answer is valid)

    • Third-party verified

    • No GreenScreen BM-1 scores

    • No GreenScreen LT-1 scores

  • The following requires a more detailed review of the HPD Section 2: Content in Descending Order of Quantity:

    • 95%+ by weight must have some GreenScreen Benchmark score: BM-2, BM-3, BM-4, or BM-U

    • The remaining 5% by weight may NOT be GreenScreen LT-1

    • For the remaining 5%, allowable scores are LT-P1, LT-UNK, or NoGS


Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or comments on LEED v4.1 and HPDs, please contact HPDC customer support via this portal.